David Beckham: It's hard to make my children eat fruit and vegetables

David Beckham has spoken of the difficulties he has endured getting his own children to eat fruit and vegetables.

By Matthew Moore

9:13PM BST 16 Oct 2008

The England midfielder, famed for his fitness and stamina, said that it was a struggle to ensure that his sons followed in his healthy footsteps.

David Beckham at an awards ceremony with his sons Cruz on left, Romeo and Brooklyn on right.

Beckham and his wife Victoria have three sons: Brooklyn, nine; Romeo, six; and three-year-old Cruz.

"As a dad, I know how hard it is to get kids to eat the right things," Beckham said.

"I also know as a footballer, how important it is to eat the right things to perform well."

Beckham, who played as a substitute in England's match against Belarus on Wednesday, was speaking at Wembley Stadium at the launch of a new health food range produced in association with the FA.

The snacks, including fish fingers, pasta, wraps and omelettes enriched with Omega 3 fish oils, will be offered to England fans during games at the stadium, as an alternative to the usual match-day fare of pies and hot dogs.

Beckham, who plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy, has been criticised in the past for endorsing fast food brands like Pepsi and Walkers crisps, at a time when childhood obesity is seen as one of the biggest threats to the nation's health.

Last month Beckham announced that he would release a series of children's books set in his football academies. The stories, which are not written by Beckham himself, will contain football training tips in an effort to encourage young readers to be more active.